Norton Relieved by Bush Signing of Darfur Local and State Disinvestment Bill and Pleased that D.C. Is Ready to Go With Local Disinvestment Law

Press Release

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), who cosponsored the Darfur Accountability and Divestment Act, said she was relieved that President Bush signed the bill today, considering his resistance to permitting disinvestment by state and local governments. She praised Councilmember Marion Barry, who introduced a bill signed by Mayor Adrian Fenty on November 29th barring investment of the District's funds with financial institutions doing business of any kind with the Sudanese government.

Norton, who was arrested at the Sudanese Embassy two years ago, said that Bush deserved credit for not allowing "his reservations concerning interference with foreign policy to trump the genocide that he himself has said is occurring in Darfur. Bush's use of the president's foreign policy prerogative once again was particularly thin here, based, he said, on possible conflict with a future executive decision to end the divestment and on precedent. These general concerns pale beside the continuing resistance of the government in Khartoum to respond to international pressure and the continuing unbearable suffering in Sudan."

However, the Congresswoman expressed concern because Bush has signed laws in the past, but has also worked to erode their full effect. She said that because the disinvestment will be locally controlled, there may be fewer opportunities for federal interference, but federal mechanisms are necessary to make the disinvestment effective and rapid. She cited the important effect of disinvestment of state and local funds on the liberation of South Africa from apartheid long before President Reagan agreed to sign a federal bill as evidence that the stepped up disinvestment can make a difference.

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